The Insurrection

Question. Why were you so backward in joining them?

Answer. The same reason that had caused me not to mix with them for
years before.

I saluted them on coming up, and asked Will how came he there;
he answered, his life was worth no more than others, and his liberty
as dear to him. I asked him if he thought to obtain it? He said he
would, or lose his life. This was enough to put him in full con-
fidence. Jack, I knew, was only a tool in the hands of Hark, it was
quickly agreed we should commence at home (Mr. J. Travis') on
that night, and until we had armed and equipped ourselves, and
gathered sufficient force, neither age nor sex was to be spared,
(which was invariably adhered to.) We remained at the feast until
about two hours in the night, when we went to the house and found
Austin; they all went to the cider press and drank, except myself.
On returning to the house, Hark went to the door with an axe, for
the purpose of breaking it open, as we knew we were strong enough
to murder the family, if they were awaked by the noise; but
reflecting that it might create an alarm in the neighborhood, we
determined to enter the house secretly, and murder them whilst sleeping.

Hark got a ladder and set it against the chimney, on which I
ascended, and hoisting a window, entered and came down stairs,
unbarred the door, and removed the guns from their places. It was then
observed that I must spill the first blood. On which armed with a
hatchet, and accompanied by Will, I entered my master's chamber;
it being dark, I could not give a death blow, the hatchet glanced
from his head, he sprang from the bed and called his wife, it was his
last word. Will laid him dead, with a blow of his axe, and Mrs.
Travis shared the same fate, as she lay in bed. The murder of this
family five in number, was the work of a moment, not one of them
awoke; there was a little infant sleeping in a cradle, that was
forgotten, until we had left the house and gone some distance, when
Henry and Will returned and killed it; we got here, four guns that
would shoot, and several old muskets, with a pound or two of powder.

We remained some time at the barn, where we paraded; I formed
them in a line as soldiers, and after carrying them through all the
manoeuvres I was master of, marched them off to Mr. Salathul
Francis', about six hundred yards distant. Sam and Will went to the door
and knocked. Mr. Francis asked who was there, Sam replied it was
him, and he had a letter for him, on which he got up and came to
the door; they immediately seized him, and dragging him out a little
from the door, he was dispatched by repeated blows on the head;
there was no other white person in the family.

We started from there
for Mrs. Reese's, maintaining the most perfect silence on our march,
where finding the door unlocked, we entered, and murdered Mrs.
Reese in her bed, while sleeping; her son awoke, but it was only to
sleep the sleep of death, he had only time to say who is that, and
he was no more. From Mrs. Reese's we went to Mrs. Turner's, a mile
distant, which we reached about sunrise, on Monday morning. Henry,
Austin, and Sam, went to the still, where, finding Mr. Peebles, Austin
shot him, and the rest of us went to the house; as we approached,
the family discovered us, and shut the door. Vain hope! Will, with
one stroke of his axe, opened it, and we entered and found Mrs.
Turner and Mrs. Newsome in the middle of a room almost frightened
to death. Will immediately killed Mrs. Turner, with one blow of his
axe. I took Mrs. Newsome by the hand, and with the sword I had
when I was apprehended, I struck her several blows over the head,
but not being able to kill her, as the sword was dull. Will turning
around and discovering it, dispatched her also. A general destruction
of property and search for money and ammunition, always succeeded
the murders.

By this time my company amounted to fifteen, and nine
men mounted, who started for Mrs. Whitehead's, (the other six were
to go through a by way to Mr. Bryant's, and rejoin us at Mrs. White
head's,) as we approached the house we discovered Mr. Richard
Whitehead standing in the cotton patch, near the lane fence; we
called him over into the lane, and Will, the executioner, was near at
hand, with his fatal axe, to send him to an untimely grave. As we
pushed on to the house, I discovered some one run round the garden,
and thinking it was some of the white family, I pursued them, but
finding it was a servant girl belonging to the house, I returned to
commence the work of death, but they whom I left, had not been
idle; all the family were already murdered, but Mrs. Whitehead and
her daughter Margaret. As I came round to the door I saw Will
pulling Mrs. Whitehead out of the house, and at the step he nearly
severed her head from her body, with his broad axe. Miss Margaret,
when I discovered her, had concealed herself in the corner, formed
by the projection of the cellar cap from the house; on my approach
she fled, but was soon overtaken, and after repeated blows with a
sword, I killed her by a blow on the head, with a fence rail. By this
time, the six who had gone by Mr. Bryant's, rejoined us, and
informed me they had done the work of death assigned them.

We again
divided, part going to Mr. Richard Porter's, and from thence to
Nathaniel Francis', the others to Mr. Howell Harris', and Mr.
T. Doyle's. On my reaching Mr. Porter's, he had escaped with his
family. I understood there, that the alarm had already spread, and I
immediately returned to bring up those sent to Mr. Doyle's, and Mr.
Howell Harris'; the party I left going on to Mr. Francis', having told
them I would join them in that neighborhood. I met these sent to
Mr. Doyle's and Mr. Harris' returning, having met Mr. Doyle on the
road and killed him; and learning from some who joined them, that
Mr. Harris was from home, I immediately pursued the course taken
by the party gone on before; but knowing they would complete the
work of death and pillage, at Mr. Francis' before I could get there,
I went to Mr. Peter Edwards', expecting to find them there, but they
had been here also. I then went to Mr. John T. Barrow's, they had
been here and murdered him. I pursued on their track to Capt.
Newit Harris', where I found the greater part mounted, and ready to
start; the men now amounting to about forty, shouted and hurraed
as I rode up, some were in the yard, loading their guns, others
drinking. They said Captain Harris and his family had escaped, the
property in the house they destroyed, robbing him of money and other
valuables. I ordered them to mount and march instantly, this was
about nine or ten o'clock, Monday morning.

I proceeded to Mr.
Levi Waller's, two or three miles distant. I took my station in the
rear, and as it was my object to carry terror and devastation
whereever we went, I placed fifteen or twenty of the best armed and
most to be relied on, in front, who generally approached the houses
as fast as their horses could run; this was for two purposes, to
prevent their escape and strike terror to the inhabitants - on this
account I never got to the houses, after leaving Mrs. Whitehead's
until the murders were committed, except in one case. I sometimes
got in sight in time to see the work of death completed, viewed the
mangled bodies as they lay, in silent satisfaction, and immediately
started in quest of other victims - Having murdered Mrs. Waller
and ten children, we started for Mr. William Williams' - having
killed him and two little boys that were there; while engaged in this,
Mrs. Williams fled and got some distance from the house, but she
was pursued, overtaken, and compelled to get up behind one of the
company, who brought her back, and after showing her the mangled
body of her lifeless husband, she was told to get down and lay by
his side, where she was shot dead.

I then started for Mr. Jacob
Williams', where the family were murdered - Here we found a young
man named Drury, who had come on business with Mr. Williams -
he was pursued, overtaken and shot. Mrs. Vaughan's was the next
place we visited - and after murdering the family here, I determined
on starting for Jerusalem - Our number amounted now to fifty or
sixty, all mounted and armed with guns, axes, swords and clubs-
On reaching Mr. James W. Parker's gate, immediately on the road
leading to Jerusalem, and about three miles distant, it was proposed
to me to call there, but I objected, as I knew he was gone to
Jerusalem, and my object was to reach there as soon as possible; but
some of the men having relations at Mr. Parker's it was agreed that
they might call and get his people. I remained at the gate on the
road, with seven or eight; the others going across the field to the
house, about half a mile off. After waiting some time for them, I
became impatient, and started to the house for them, and on our
return we were met by a party of white men, who had pursued our
blood-stained track, and who had fired on those at the gate, and
dispersed them, which I knew nothing of, not having been at that
time rejoined by any of them - Immediately on discovering the
whites, I ordered my men to halt and form, as they appeared to be
alarmed - The white men eighteen in number, approached us in
about one hundred yards, when one of them fired, (this was against
the positive orders of Captain Alexander P. Peete, who commanded,
and who had directed the men to reserve their fire until within thirty
paces.) And I discovered about half of them retreating, I then
ordered my men to fire and rush on them; the few remaining stood
their ground until we approached within fifty yards, when they fired
and retreated. We pursued and overtook some of them who we
thought we left dead; (they were not killed) after pursuing them
about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, I discovered they
were met by another party, and had halted, and were re-loading their
guns, (this was a small party from Jerusalem who knew the negroes
were in the field, and had just tied their horses to await their
return to the road, knowing that Mr. Parker and family were in
Jerusalem, but knew nothing of the party that had gone in with Captain
Peete; on hearing the firing they immediately rushed to the spot and
arrived just in time to arrest the progress of these barbarous villains,
and save the lives of their friends and fellow citizens.) Thinking
that those who retreated first, and the party who fired on us at fifty
or sixty yards distant, had all only fallen back to meet others with
ammunition. As I saw them re-loading their guns, and more coming
up than I saw at first, and several of my bravest men being wounded,
the others became panic struck and squandered over the field; the
white men pursued and fired on us several times. Hark had his horse
shot under him, and I caught another for him as it was running by
me; five or six of my men were wounded, but none left on the field;
finding myself defeated here I instantly determined to go through a
private way, and cross the Nottoway river at the Cypress Bridge,
three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in the rear, as I
expected they would look for me on the other road, and I had a great
desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition. After going a
short distance in this private way, accompanied by about twenty
men, I overtook two or three who told me the others were dispersed
in every direction. After trying in vain to collect a sufficient force to
proceed to Jerusalem, I determined to return, as I was sure they
would make back to their old neighborhood, where they would
rejoin me, make new recruits, and come down again.

On my way back,
I called at Mrs. Thomas's, Mrs. Spencer's, and several other places,
the white families having fled, we found no more victims to gratify
our thirst for blood, we stopped at Majr. Ridley's quarter for the
night, and being joined by four of his men, with the recruits made
since my defeat, we mustered now about forty strong. After placing
out sentinels, I laid down to sleep, but was quickly roused by a great
racket; starting up, I found some mounted, and others in great
confusion; one of the sentinels having given the alarm that we were
about to be attacked, I ordered some to ride round and reconnoiter,
and on their return the others being more alarmed, not knowing who
they were, fled in different ways, so that I was reduced to about
twenty again; with this I determined to attempt to recruit, and
proceed on to rally in the neighborhood, I had left. Dr. Blunt's was the
nearest house, which we reached just before day; on riding up the
yard, Hark fired a gun. We expected Dr. Blunt and his family were
at Maj. Ridley's, as I knew there was a company of men there; the
gun was fired to ascertain if any of the family were at home; we
were immediately fired upon and retreated leaving several of my
men. I do not know what became of them, as I never saw them
afterwards.

Pursuing our course back, and coming in sight of Captain
Harris's, where we had been the day before, we discovered a party
of white men at the house, on which all deserted me but two, (Jacob
and Nat,) we concealed ourselves in the woods until near night,
when I sent them in search of Henry, Sam, Nelson and Hark, and
directed them to rally all they could, at the place we had had our
dinner the Sunday before, where they would find me, and I
accordingly returned there as soon as it was dark, and remained until
Wednesday evening, when discovering white men riding around the
place as though they were looking for some one, and none of my men
joining me, I concluded Jacob and Nat had been taken, and
compelled to betray me.

On this I gave up all hope for the present;
and on Thursday night, after having supplied myself with provisions
from Mr. Travis's, I scratched a hole under a pile of fence rails in
a field, where I concealed myself for six weeks, never leaving my
hiding place but for a few minutes in the dead of night to get water,
which was very near; thinking by this time I could venture out, I
began to go about in the night and eaves drop the houses in the
neighborhood; pursuing this course for about a fortnight and
gathering little or no intelligence, afraid of speaking to any human being,
and returning every morning to my cave before the dawn of day. I
know not how long I might have led this life, if accident had not
betrayed me, a dog in the neighborhood passing by my hiding place
one night while I was out, was attracted by some meat I had in my
cave, and crawled in and stole it, and was coming out just as I
returned. A few nights after, two negroes having started to go hunting
with the same dog, and passed that way, the dog came again to the
place, and having just gone out to walk about, discovered me and
barked, on which thinking myself discovered, I spoke to them to beg
concealment. On making myself known, they fled from me. Knowing
then they would betray me, I immediately left my hiding place, and
was pursued almost incessantly until I was taken a fortnight
afterwards by Mr. Benjaiin Phipps, in a little hole I had dug out with
my sword, for the purpose of concealment, under the top of a fallen
tree. On Mr. Phipps discovering the place of my concealment, he
cocked his gun and aimed at me. I requested him not to shoot, and
I would give up, upon which be dernanded my sword. I delivered it
to him, and he brought me to prison. During the time I was pursued,
I had many hair breadth escapes, which your time will not permit
you to relate. I am here loaded with chains, and willing to suffer the
fate that awaits me.

I here proceeded to make some inquiries of him, after assuring
him of the certain death that awaited him, and that concealment
would only bring destruction on the innocent as well as guilty, of his
own color, if he knew of any extensive or concerted plan. His
answer was, I do not. When I questioned him as to the insurrection in
North Carolina happening about the same time, he denied any
knowledge of it; and when I looked him in the face as though I would
search his inmost thoughts, he replied, "I see sir, you doubt my
word; but can you not think the same ideas, and strange appearances
about this time in the heavens might prompt others, as well as
myself, to this undertaking." I now had much conversation with and
asked him many questions, having forborne to do so previously,
except in the cases noted in parentheses; but during his statement, I
had, unnoticed by him, taken notes as to some particular
circumstances, and having the advantage of his statement before me in
writing, on the evening of the third day that I had been with him, I
began a cross examination, and found his statement corroborated by
every circumstance coming within my own knowledge, or the
confessions of others whom had been either killed or executed, and whom
he had not seen or had any knowledge since 22d of August last, he
expressed himself fully satisfied as to the impracticability of his
attempt. It has been said he was ignorant and cowardly, and that his
object was to murder and rob for the purpose of obtaining money to
make his escape. It is notorious, that he was never known to have a
dollar in his life; to swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As to
his ignorance, he certainly never had the advantages of education,
but he can read and write (it was taught him by his parents), and
for natural intelligence and quickness of apprehension, is surpassed
by few men I have ever seen. - As to his being a coward, his reason
as given for not resisting Mr. Phipps, shews the decision of his
character. When he saw Mr. Phipps present his gun, he said he knew it
was impossible for him to escape, as the woods were full of men; he
therefore thought it was better to surrender, and trust to fortune for
his escape. He is a complete fanatic, or plays his part most admirably.
On other subjects he possesses an uncommon share of intelligence,
with a mind capable of attaining any thing; but warped and
perverted by the influence of early impressions. He is below the ordinary
stature, though strong and active, having the true negro face, every
feature of which is strongly marked. I shall not attempt to describe
the effect of his narrative, as told and commented on by himself, in
the condemned hole of the prison. The calm, deliberate composure
with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions, the expression
of his fiend-like face when excited by enthusiasm, still bearing the
stains of the blood of helpless innocence about him; clothed with
rags and covered with chains; yet daring to raise his manacled hands
to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the attributes of man; I looked
on him and my blood curdled in my veins.

I will not shock the feelings of humanity, nor wound afresh the
bosoms of the disconsolate sufferers in this unparalleled and
inhuman massacre, by detailing the deeds of their fiend-like barbarity.
There were two or three who were in the power of these wretches, had
they known it, and who escaped in the most providential manner.
There were two whom they thought they had left dead on the field
at Mr. Parker's, but who were only stunned by the blows of their
guns, as they did not take time to reload when they charged on them.
The escape of a little girl who went to school at Mr. Waller's, and
where the children were collecting for that purpose, excited general
sympathy. As their teacher had not arrived, they were at play in the
yard, and seeing the negroes approach, she ran up on a dirt
chimney (such as are common to log houses), and remained there
unnoticed during the massacre of the eleven that were killed at this
place. She remained on her hiding place till just before the arrival of
a party, who were in pursuit of the murderers, when she came down
and fled to a swamp, where, a mere child as she was, with the horrors
of the late scene before her, she lay concealed until the next day,
when seeing a party go up to the house, she came up, and on being
asked how she escaped, replied with the utmost simplicity, "The
Lord helped her." She was taken up behind a gentleman of the
party, and returned to the arms of her weeping mother.

Miss
Whitehead concealed herself between the bed and the mat that supported
it, while they murdered her sister in the same room, without
discovering her. She was afterwards carried off, and concealed for protection
by a slave of the family, who gave evidence against several of them
on their trial. Mrs. Nathaniel Francis, while concealed in a closet
heard their blows, and the shrieks of the victims of these ruthless
savages; they then entered the closet where she was concealed, and
went out without discovering her. While in this hiding place, she
heard two of her women in a quarrel about the division of her clothes.
Mr. John T. Baron, discovering them approaching his house, told his
wife to make her escape, and scorning to fly, fell fighting on his own
threshold. After firing his rifle, he discharged his gun at them, and
then broke it over the villain who first approached him, but he was
overpowered and slain. His bravery, however, saved from the hands
of these monsters, his lovely and amiable wife, who will long lament
a husband as deserving of her love. As directed by him, she
attempted to escape through the garden, when she was caught and held
by one of her servant girls, but another coming to her rescue, she
fled to the woods, and concealed herself. Few indeed, were those who
escaped their work of death. But fortunate for society, the hand of
retributive justice has overtaken them; and not one that was known
to be concerned has escaped.